A Headstrong Woman

by Maness, Michelle

  “Want me to escort you to the house?” her father offered.

  “Go on, we’re fine,” Alexandria waved to him and started down the drive.

  They reached the end of the long drive where she parked the buggy, took Lilly into bed and stepped into her room to change. She stripped her beautiful new dress and carefully put it away. She removed her corset and rubbed at her sides where the corset had been pinching her all-night and stood dressed only in her shift for a moment as she considered what to wear to see to the horses. She finally pulled on a plain button down and simple skirt after deciding not to bother with the multiple layers of under clothes she usually wore. There would be no one around to see her anyway.

  Alexandria opened the barn doors, pulled the buggy in and released the horses from their harnesses before closing the doors. She started grooming the horses, her mind on the evening she had just enjoyed. She was more than a little put out with her sister’s attitude. Spunky stepped back and snorted.

  “What is it boy?” she asked a moment before a hand closed over her mouth.

  Jonathon returned to the dance but found that with Alexandria gone he wasn’t interested in remaining. He mounted Raven and started from town; he found himself contemplating his actions this day and what he intended to do about his feelings for Alexandria. She very well might order him off her property if he told her how he felt. She had made it clear she wanted her independence despite admitting she needed help. Jonathon chuckled. She was spirited and he admired her for it. He liked watching her chin come up in challenge, liked the way her eyes sparked when she was mad, and he liked the way she felt in his arms. But what to do about it, Jonathon mused as he rode into the yard.

  He let himself into the barn and frowned. Why was there a lantern burning? He dropped Raven’s reigns and moved through the barn. When he heard a muffled sound from the back, he moved toward it. The lantern was hung from a nail on a post not far from the last stall. Spunky and Sparky, the matched pair who pulled the buggy were stabled almost in the back. Had Alexandria simply forgotten to extinguish it after she turned them into their stalls? That seemed unlikely.

  His heart accelerated when he noticed Spunky loose from his stall and enjoying his fill from the feed bin. He stepped into the door of the last stall. The sight that greeted him made his stomach churn with fury. Nick had Alexandria pinned and his hand clamped over her mouth. Jonathon reacted in anger and grabbed the man by his shirt to slam him against the wall of the barn.

  He released the man who stumbled for his footing and charged at Jonathon. Jonathon caught him under the chin and sent him sprawling to the floor. Jonathon grabbed him by his shirt before he could scramble up from the floor and again slammed him into the wall. Jonathon released Nick and watched the man struggle with his falling pants and the sight made him angry all over again. Jonathon grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the wall and watched with satisfaction as the man’s face turned red and then purple; his hands were clawing at Jonathon’s hold on his neck.

  “I ought to kill you,” Jonathon threatened in a voice that was deadly calm.

  “Jonathon, I don’t know what he’s done and I’m sure he deserves to die, but don’t do something you’ll regret,” Chris said from behind him. He had just returned from the dance himself.

  Jonathon slowly loosened his grip on Nick’s neck and watched the man gasp for breath. Jonathon kneed the man in the groin and Nick sank to the floor in a heap.

  “If you show your face around here again or so much as look at her wrong I will make you wish you were dead or worse,” Jonathon threatened.

  Jonathon entered the stall where Alexandria sat huddled in the corner with her knees hugged to her. Jonathon squatted in front of her and fought to rein in his emotions. Blood trickled from one side of her nose and her busted lip and a bruise was starting to color her cheek. Her eyes, filled with tears, still showed the terror she felt.

  “Come on, Alexandria, let’s get you inside,” Jonathon reached his hand out to her but let her make the decision to come to him. Slowly she placed her hand in his and he pulled her up as he stood and swung her into his arms. Alexandria wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck unable to look at Nick’s form where he lay in the floor.

  Jonathon was crossing the yard with Alexandria when a rider approached. He recognized Sparky and waited. Sparky’s gaze flickered over Alexandria before his eyes darkened with anger.

  “What’s going on?” he demanded.

  “Nick attacked her. He’s still in the barn; would you escort him off the property please?”

  “I’ll do more than that!” Sparky swung from the saddle and started for the barn at an angry pace.

  “Don’t do anything you’ll regret!” Jonathon called after the younger man. Knowing Sparky’s temper as he did, he feared he might kill the man, though Jonathon was struggling to care at the moment.

  Jonathon entered the house with Alexandria and called for Millie. When he tried setting Alexandria down, she clung to him more tightly and made a small sound of protest. She was starting to get heavy. Jonathon looked around the dark parlor and finally eased onto the settee with Alexandria still in his arms.

  “Alexandria, I need to know…I don’t know how to ask this did Nick…did he…” Jonathon hesitated; he hated to even say it. Alexandria shook her head without ever looking at him, but Jonathon knew she had understood and sighed in relief.

  Millie entered; her eyes widened.

  “Millie, I need your help and possibly Anna’s as well. Nick attacked Alexandria. I’m sure she’ll want a bath but first we need some ice if it hasn’t all melted. Rouse Anna and have her gather clean clothes. I suppose the ice should come first.”

  “I’ll get right on it,” Millie lit a lamp and bustled from the room.

  Alexandria felt weak with relief that Jonathon had shown up when he had. No one had to tell her what would have happened if he hadn’t. Yet again her foreman had come to her rescue. Jonathon was right, she attracted trouble. And yet again here she sat clinging to her foreman while demanding she wanted to be independent. The irony was not lost on Alexandria but nothing she had yet to experience had scared her as badly as what had just happened. She could still feel Nick’s hot breath on her face, feel his hands on her body; Alexandria shuddered and clung harder to Jonathon as she fought back nausea. Jonathon laid his cheek against her head and stroked her back seeming to understand that there was nothing he could say that would make her feel any better at the moment.

  Millie returned with the ice; Anna was right behind her. Anna looked to have been crying, but her eyes widened, her face becoming alert when she spotted her sister. Alexandria had recovered somewhat and now sat up, held the ice to her eye and cheek before resituating herself against her foreman. If anyone found it improper they weren’t saying so.

  “Did….did he hurt her?” Anna’s voice and hands were shaking.

  “He hit her as you can see, otherwise, I think she’s okay,” Jonathon answered her query.

  Anna, her face pale, sat down hard on a nearby chair. “Have you sent for the sheriff?”

  Jonathon shook his head. “No, there is no way I’d ever convince Alexandria to press charges and I know it.”

  “But she has to!” Anna protested.

  “Anna, put yourself in your sister’s shoes for just a moment. Would you want what had almost happened and what had happened aired?” he asked her and watched her frown.

  “Well, no, but he can’t get away with it. Send for Mom, she’ll talk sense into her.”

  “No!” Alexandria spoke for the first time since the incident. “I don’t want Mom knowing anything about this. I can’t deal with her pleading for me to come home right now,” Alexandria said firmly.

  “Lexie, don’t be a fool, the man would have raped you!” Anna yelled at her sister.

  “Anna, I know that better than you do; I will not go through the humiliation of a trial!”

  “Ladies, this is getting us nowher
e. Alexandria, I’m sure you would like a bath; why don’t you allow Millie or Anna to help you?” he proposed. Alexandria nodded and stood. Several minutes later she sat in a deep tub of hot water while her sister washed her hair.

  “I’m sorry I was angry with you earlier,” Anna apologized.

  “I know you’re right but I can’t stand the thought of a trial,” Alexandria sighed.

  “I was referring to the trip home from town, and, well, most the day really,” Anna admitted. “It was unfair of me. I’m not certain what is going on between you and Jonathon, if anything is, but I’ve placed blame on you that isn’t deserved,” Anna explained.

  “I love you, Anna. I have no desire to hurt you,” Alexandria assured her sister.

  “I know that, I just forgot,” Anna admitted as tears streamed down her face. Alexandria wrapped her damp arms around her sister and the two women hugged.

  “I’m sorry; I got you wet didn’t I?” Alexandria laughed after she released her sister.

  “It’s okay; I’ll dry,” Anna told her as she helped her dress in a gown and dressing gown.

  After Alexandria was presentable, Anna led the way to the kitchen where Millie was waiting to help with Alexandria’s hair. Anna grabbed Alexandria’s brush and started working on brushing out her hair. Anna started shaking her head. Alexandria’s hair seemed to be one large tangle.

  “I hate to, but I’m going to have to cut at least some of this,” Anna told her sister.

  “It’ll make it easier to manage anyway,” Alexandria said with forced lightness.

  Jonathon moved into the kitchen just as Anna raised a pair of scissors to cut Alexandria’s hair.

  “Stop!” he protested as he entered the room.

  Anna looked up wide-eyed and held the scissors out to him as though afraid he would wrest them away from her otherwise.

  “I’m sorry,” Anna backed away from her sister.

  Alexandria frowned at Jonathon.

  “It would be a crime to cut her hair; why would you?” Jonathon demanded.

  “It’s hopelessly tangled,” Anna explained.

  “Have you got a comb?” Jonathon asked them.

  Anna nodded and went to retrieve it.

  Jonathon studied Alexandria as she tilted her head back to look up at him. He suddenly knew why she kept her hair up; she looked much younger with her hair framing her face and at the moment so vulnerable it made his heart ache. He reached out and gently ran his knuckles down the discoloration on her cheek; he would give anything to turn back the clock and escort Alexandria home himself.

  Anna returned with the comb and Jonathon dropped his hand and stepped away from Alexandria.

  Anna claimed a seat and watched curiously as Jonathon began gently working tangles from her sister’s hair; he started at the bottom. She was amazed that his large, broad hands could be so gentle. Jonathon was, for all she knew about him still an enigma to her. Hadn’t her sister suggested as much?

  “What happened to your hands?” her gaze focused on the split skin on his right knuckle and the scratch marks on both hands.

  Jonathon glanced down at his hand. “I guess Nick’s bones were harder than I realized,” he shrugged.

  Anna’s eyes widened. “And the scratches?”

  “Oh, well it seems he didn’t appreciate my hands around his neck,” Jonathon offered with a sardonic smile.

  Anna’s eyes widened further if possible as she swallowed hard.

  “What did you think he’d done, Anna? Admonished Nick politely and Nick neatly apologized and went on his way?” Alexandria’s tone was mildly amused.

  “Of course not!” Anna snapped. She shuddered inwardly. She had never seen Jonathon angry and imagining him angry enough to hit someone seemed incongruous with the rest of her opinion of him. Would he have reacted the same with any woman? Would he stand in another’s woman’s kitchen untangling their hair or would he have allowed their hair to be cut? They were questions that were nagging at Anna.

  Alexandria blinked against fatigue; her eyelids felt too heavy to hold up. She and Anna had often brushed one another’s’ hair at night before bed as a way of relaxing and it was having the same effect on her now. Jonathon’s hand seemed impossibly large and warm on the back of her head when he placed it there to work at a particularly stubborn tangle. She was on the verge of falling asleep sitting up when Jonathon spoke.

  “There, all done. Your hair is tangle free,” Jonathon informed her. Alexandria’s eyes opened and she reached back to feel her smooth hair. Remarkable, how had he done that?

  “Thank you,” she said on a yawn.

  “Go get some rest. If you don’t mind, I’m going to lock both doors and lay down on your settee for a while. Sparky sent Nick on his way but I don’t want him coming back,” Jonathon told her. “I think Millie will be an adequate chaperone were anyone to question our motives later.”

  “There are three spare rooms that are empty where you would be more comfortable,” Alexandria told him.

  He shook his head. “That would be taking it a bit far, the settee is fine.”

  “You won’t fit very well,” she cautioned as her eyes traveled the long length of his body.

  “Perhaps not, but in the long run, I will be much more comfortable on the settee. The throw pillow and light blanket on the back will work fine. Good night, ladies,” he said and stepped from the room. Alexandria wearily climbed the stairs to her room; she wished her sister a good night over her shoulder.

  ***

  Anna lay in her bed and staring at the ceiling. She should be too exhausted to think but her mind seemed unaware of this. All she could think about was how much she wished it had been her hair Jonathon’s hands had been in. How she wanted him to search her out of the crowd and spend an entire evening at her side and to pay one hundred dollars for the honor. She wanted him to come to her defense. Anna sighed. Not knowing how he felt about her was eating her up. Would he have treated her as he had treated Alexandria if she were in the same circumstances?

  Anna finally tossed aside her covers, pulled on her dressing gown, and started down the stairs. She had to address this if she was to ever have peace. She stood in the doorway to the parlor a moment, Jonathon unaware that she was there. She studied him in the dim light from a nearby lantern. She knew he was awake by his movements. Jonathon was rubbing his forehead as though his head was hurting.

  “Jonathon,” she said as she entered the room.

  Jonathon frowned and sat up abruptly.

  “Anna! What are you doing in here?” he demanded as he came to his feet.

  “I need to talk with you,” she stopped in front of him.

  “Have a seat and let me turn the lamp up,” he was unnerved by both her nearness and the way she was watching him.

  “No, I need to say this now before I lose my nerve. I love you, Jonathon!” she blurted. “You must know that.”

  “I know that you’re infatuated with me, Anna,” he said gently.

  “Infatuated? No, Jonathon, I love you,” she insisted.

  “Anna….”

  Anna leaned forward and pressed her lips to his and waited for him to kiss her back.

  He didn’t.

  Jonathon gently took Anna’s arms and pushed her away, himself taking a step backwards to put more space between them. “Anna, you’re a very sweet young lady and I have no desire to hurt you,” Jonathon started; he was uncertain how to continue.

  “You’re still in love with Emily, aren’t you?” she asked with understanding.

  Jonathon frowned. “No, I mean, I still love her but that isn’t why…”

  “Of course you still love her, I understand…”

  “I don’t think you do. I will always love Emily, but she no longer stands in the way of my moving on,” he could see that he’d confused her. “I really like you as friend, Anna, you’re interest in me keeps us from a closer friendship but that is all that will ever be between us,” he explained gently.

  Anna f
elt her eyes begin to sting and quickly nodded.

  “I see,” she turned and all but ran from the room.

  Jonathon sighed and reclaimed his position on the settee. He really had not wanted to hurt her. How had he gotten in this mess anyway, he wondered as he twirled his hair around one finger in an agitated manner. He was in love with one woman and being pursued by her sister. Jonathon stilled in his fidgeting. Was he in love with Alexandria? That he found her attractive and was interested in her he had no doubt, but did he love her? He thought of her smile, her teasing him, her chin coming up in that stubborn tilt, and he smiled. He did love her. He didn’t know when it had happened but he loved her. What was he to do about it? Alexandria had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with men. Could he change her mind? Would he lose her entirely if he tried? Jonathon sighed; he didn’t know.

  Jonathon had been dozing on and off for a couple of hours when a noise in the kitchen woke him. He cautiously made his way down the hall to the dim light in the kitchen and peered into the room. His eyes first fell on the water pump, a forgotten glass of water still beneath it. In the floor in front of the stove sat Alexandria; the door was open, and her knees were drawn to her chest. She was shaking all over and crying.

  “Alexandria,” he called softly so he wouldn’t startle her.

  She glanced at him; then resettled her gaze on the fire in the stove. “You okay?” he asked as he approached her.

  She shook her head but still did not speak.

  “Bad dreams?” he asked.

  She sighed, gave him an annoyed glance, and nodded.

  “Come to the parlor and I’ll build you a fire if you want but you’re going to wake Millie if you stay in here much longer,” he told her. She glanced at him, then back to the fire. Jonathon frowned at her. He knew she’d had a disturbing night and he would do nothing to play that down but he wasn’t about to let her stew in it either. He claimed her hand without permission and pulled her to her feet before shutting the stove door and extinguishing the lamp.

  He built a fire in the parlor fireplace even though it was much too warm for one and handed her a light blanket from the settee to wrap herself in. Alexandria settled in front of the fireplace; Jonathon settled into the floor against a wing back chair nearby.